James Harden Trade: Biggest Winners and Losers in NBA Championship Odds

It didn’t take long for us to get a blockbuster trade in the 2023-24 NBA season, as the Los Angeles Clippers acquired former league MVP James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Los Angeles moved Nic Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, and Marcus Morris – as well as several draft picks – to obtain Harden and P.J. Tucker from the Sixers. 

James Harden trade full details

Clippers receive

• James Harden
• PJ Tucker
• Filip Petrusev

Sixers receive

• Nicolas Batum
• Marcus Morris
• Robert Covington
• KJ Martin
• 2026 LAC first-round pick via OKC
• 2028 LAC first-round pick
• Two second-round picks
• One pick swap

The Sixers also waived veteran guard Danny Green as part of the deal. 

The move shakes up the landscape of both the Eastern and Western Conference, especially when it comes to the NBA Finals odds.

If you’re looking to bet on the futures market following the Harden trade, FanDuel Sportsbook has an amazing promotional offer. New users who sign up with the link below and wager $5 will receive $150 in bonus bets (if your team wins) and three months free of NBA League Pass!

Here are my biggest winners – and losers – in the fallout of the Harden deal: 

Biggest Winners in James Harden Trade Based on Odds

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have come away as huge winners in this deal, moving from +2700 to +1200 to win the NBA Finals in the process. 

The team kept Norman Powell and Terance Mann and was able to get back a great defensive player in P.J. Tucker in the process. 

I think Harden gives the Clippers some insurance on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who have been out of the lineup plenty of times during their time with the Clips. 

To get this deal done – and get it done this early in the season – gives Los Angeles a real chance to compete for a title. 

Philadelphia 76ers

It’s rare that both teams are winners in a deal where a star player goes somewhere, but I think that is the case here. 

Harden may not have ended up playing for Philly this season, and now the team gets several role players to help bolster its chances of winning the NBA Finals. In fact, the Sixers’ odds moved from +2700 to +1800 following the deal. 

It’s not much, but now Philly can focus on building around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey this season. The team should still easily be a playoff team in the East. 

James Harden

Somehow, someway, James Harden got his way… AGAIN.

Harden has now requested trades from Houston, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia with one destination in mind, only to end up at that exact destination every time. 

How does he do it? The man certainly knows how to hold out and make the front office uncomfortable, and it’s benefitted him to land where he wants to be. 

Now, Harden has to prove that he can really turn this Clippers team from good to great and potentially win his first NBA title. 

Boston Celtics

The current favorites to win the title, Boston’s life gets a little easier with Harden leaving the East. 

The Sixers should still be good, but they lack the star power that they have had in years past. Boston’s roster matches up very well with this Philly team. 

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks end up as winners here as well. The team already has a win over Philly this season, and it has much more star power than any team in the East outside of Boston. 

The Bucks are +400 to win the title. 

Biggest Losers in James Harden Trade Based on Odds

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have now fallen behind the Clippers in the odds to win the title this season. 

It’s still super early, but the Clippers may have a deeper and better roster than the Lakers when both teams are fully healthy.

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns three-headed monster of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant is great, but the Suns don’t have the depth that the Clippers have behind their new Big 3. 

Phoenix looked to be a lock to be the No. 2 team in the West in the eyes of oddsmakers, but with the Clippers’ odds soaring, that could be in jeopardy. 

The Rest of the West

This trade certainly isn’t great for the rest of the Western Conference, as the Clippers should be able to lock up a playoff spot again this season. 

The addition of Harden is bigger than just having him on the floor. It’s the fact that he can supplement the potentially – and probably eventual – loss of George or Leonard throughout this season. 

He gives the team another primary shot creator who can initiate offense and make the lives of those around him easier with his passing ability. 

The Clippers have been in the play-in conversation in recent seasons, but they should be in a great spot to lock up a top-six seed this season. 

Daryl Morey

Every year, we hear how Daryl Morey doesn’t mind getting uncomfortable, and yet two times he’s traded James Harden (once in Houston) almost immediately due to Harden’s demands. 

I’m over it. 

Originally, it had been reported that the Sixers wanted wing Terance Mann in any Harden deal, yet they ended up without him despite receiving four different wing players from the Clippers in this deal. 

Look, the trade does make Philly a better team if Harden was going to drag this saga out all season long, but Morey let this bleed into the regular season and still didn’t get the player he was targeting. Not ideal.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.